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Please Help..... Recently Diagnosed

annie5379

Posts: 9
Joined: Dec 2003

Dec 06, 2003 - 8:16 am

First of all, I am so very grateful to have found these boards. I am so confused right now. My hubby was diagnosed with Lung Cancer this week. I feel as though our world has collapsed! A bronchoscopy showed a lump in his lung. The dr said it was very bad. He took several biopsies, but will not have the results for a few days. He said the lung is not removeable...The cancer cannot be cured...only controlled. We have reservations to leave Monday for 10 days to Fla with our family, including 4 yr old twin granddaughters. The dr wanted my hubby to begin a treatment next week to help his vocal cords, as he is in danger of losing his voice. My hubby chose to continue with our vaca plans. he wants us all to be together on this trip. My head is spinning.... I go from fear.... to anger. I try to be strong for him, but it's so hard. We will have the results when we return from our trip. Then, we will procedd from there. I am praying for a miracle.... Could the biopsies by any chance prove the diagnosis wrong? I am grasping here for a miracle... I truly am devastated. Any help would be deeply appreciated. Thank you

hi, I am Mike, I have small cell lung cancer , also inoperable, I would do as the doctor wishes as it is better to start fighting this disease fast especially if it is aggressive. I also was diagnosed first with pluracy and pnemonia in my left lung and was on anti-biotics for two weeks before my primary care doc received my x-ray and ordered a ct=scan. then a biopsy and thus the diagnosis! Your husband must begin to fight this disease and not put it off, the sooner the better. I am in remission right now , and I thank my primary care doc for saving my life and directing me to a good Thorasic Surgeon and Oncologist. Well, I hope I have helped some and please encourage your husband to begin treatment now and not put it off, this damn disease doesn't wait to attack, you must stop it now. God Bless and in my prayers. Mike

Dear Annie, A MRI ,or ultra sound would have shown the lumps, not a regular x-ray ,they are not strong enough ,I had noduals on my thyrod and it was only detected that way. I also had other health problems with heart and reflux, and breast cancer, but all is well now. Hopefully the results in September were only the pnemonia and not more, and miss treated,but You must stay STRONG and POSSITIVE for him and encourage him to do the same . My prayers are with you guys, and enjoy you'r vacation , we are also going down in April and are looking forward to it . Stay possitive!!, it makes a world of difference, you brain sends out a chemical to the body and helps you heal. If you fell you need to do something while on vacation , there are natural meds at the health store ,called (COQ-10) that he can take ,one a day . The health store clerk can tell you all about, it is a great pill and helps many health problems . But it is not noticed by doctors, please use you'r internet to read up on this , it will open you'r eyes to natural health meds and anyone can take it . Please let us know about the follow up ,and of course you'r vacation. Take care, and may GOD be with you all in you'r travels, and at home . Lots of Love JAN

Annie: My heart goes out to you and your husband, and your family too. I am a Cancer survivor 3 times:I had 2 Lung Cancers and 1 Breast Cancer.I had left lung removed in 1985, portion of right lung removed in 1992 and rt. breast removed in 1996. All I can add to what has already been said is, TRUST in God, look for all the positive in Life, and tell your husband to do the same.A Positive outlook breeds health and healing.I've never had Chemo nor radiation either. I'm also a singer and teach Voice lessons, with a Performing Arts Org, where we perform in music, drama and dance. I too have used natural and organic meds...I found that the "much publicized" Shark Cartilage, evidently worked like a miracle with me.I enjoy life!my Dr. continues to call me his miracle. Yesterday, during my 3 month visit to my Pulmonologist, my Oxygen saturation was, as usual 98%:The Dr. decided he would compare his with mine:his was 97%(his words)"I have 2 lungs and never smoked, and U have 1 and smoked, and look at this"!!!I have complete faith in God, annie and prayer. I do have to live a bit cautious,because a common cold can set off things...but, I'm gonna leave my warm climate here in California this month, and go visit relatives in the souteastern part of the country for Christmas. The doc said "go, go' and enjoy yourself...and, I say to you and husband, go and enjoy your vacation..pray! capture the positive light,then come back home and proceed with whatever you must do....I'm praying for you and him. Hang in there.throw OUT the worries. they don't work well.Write and let us know how everything is going. My best!Mimi72000@yahoo.com

Mimmi, you and Michael are inspirations. My wife was recently dxed with nsclc stage 3B, inoperable/incurable (9/5/3). I take it upon myself daily to find something positive. Heads held high and not getting caught up in the Biblical Job's illness (the piss n' moan disease). We've only been promised that everything was going to work out for the glory of GOD; we want to be a part of that glory.
Annie, my advise to you in regards to your trip to Florida; let your husband dictate -- you don't want to be sorry for any decisions you've made for him. Hand to hand combat while on your knees. May GOD bless you two, too.

I know the pain, anger, frustration, and fear you are going through. I have been there twice now in the last year (mom lung cancer, husband colon cancer) and have still not emerged. My mom,69, was diagnosed September 2002 with Stage 3B inoperable lung cancer. At first, they were going to operate and "cure" her as it pretty much seemed contained (non-small cell) in one walnut size tumor smack dab in the middle of her right lung. However, a pet scan shortly after diagnosis revealed one lymph node underneath her left collar bone and volla, operation no longer an option. My mom too had a cold in the spring with a cough that just didn't seem to want to go away. At first, not a big deal as she has had bronchial problems all her life and it was not unusual for her coughs, when she got them, to linger forever. However, this one was different. She finally went to the doctor and the rest, as they say, is history.

My mom started a very strong chemo regime about four weeks after diagnosis, followed by six weeks of daily radiation. With the exception of complete hair loss, she tolerated the chemo quite well. The six weeks of radion went okay, but fatigued her much, much more than the chemo and also gave her some minor digestive problems, which have since settled.

Bottom line, it has been a little over a year since her diagnosis and she is doing quite well. She just came back from an 8 week stay in Europe and has all her tests done again on December 29. Last tests shortly before she went to Europe showed NED, or clinical remission, which is the best and all we can hope for. Hopefully, she will stay that way for quite some time. The chemo had a dramatic effect on her tumor, which was great news, and the radiation pretty much fried the rest. My point here being is my mom did not wait to start her treatments...she figured the sooner, the better, as was the advice of her physician as well. Had my mom opted to go on her trip first and then start treatment, I know I would have supported her in her decision but I would have certainly asked her to please discuss in detail with her doctor the pros and/or cons of doing so.

You and your family are in my prayers...and hopefully, with God's good graces, we will one day find a cure or at best, more managability of this terrible, terrible disease.

I am also dealing with a stage III colon cancer diagnosis on my husband (age 51 and he too started treatment three weeks after his colon was resected and they were at least able to remove the tumor, but remains at high risk for recurrence due to lymph node involvement, hence the chemo)...so I can tell you first hand, hang in there and take care of yourself too. You are your husband's strongest advocate and he will need you like he has never needed you before.

First of all....I want to thank you so very much for all of your replies... I truly feel now that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. We returned from our Florida vacation this past Thursday... On the 5th day of our vaca, my hubby had difficulty breathing, and was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Florida, where he was diagnosed with Pnemonia. He spent 4 days there. While we were there, our Dr. from home called us to check on his progress. When I asked about the biopsies, he only said they were as he suspected...very bad. My hubby has an appt Tuesday for a brain scan, which the Dr. said is routine....(??) Then, we have a meeting the day after Xmas with an oncologist. I am so thankful to have found these boards. I haven't been able to read all of the other posts as of yet, but I'm sure I will gain knowledge and hope from them. With the help of God, and all of you, I know I will be able to cope with this. Thank you all again....You all are truly angels to me...
Annie

In a recent meeting with my husband's dr., we were told that the long term prognosis was poor. He stated that we have time to "start to get things in order". My 54 yr old husband was diagnosed in December with Lung Cancer. He has had 7 radiation treatments, with 26 more to go. I'm looking for help from anyone who was originally given a poor prognosis, and proved them wrong..

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